RUTH

Well the Facebook world is abuzz...at least among my friends...about the untimely and unfortunate death of one of Cindy & my classmates...Ruth Obermeyer.

Ruth apparently passed away yesterday. No details have been released yet about what may have been the cause...so I'll not speculate.

Many of our classmates...whom we have all reconnected with on Facebook...have mentioned about their sadness in Ruth's passing. Ruth was one of those individuals who stood out from among the crowd.

One of the reasons probably comes strait from her 'favorite quotations' page on her Facebook: Say what you mean, Mean what you say, Do what you say you're going to do.

I would have to honestly say, Ruth was faithful to that quotation. I would also say that, over the years, she probably ruffled a few feathers among people because of that. Many people are offended by some remarks...even if they're the truth. Ruth was one to just 'say it'...not worrying if it might be offensive or hurtful. Many times she was probably the 'one who said...what everybody else was thinking'. She just happened to be the one gutsy enough to spit the words out.

Cindy & I...and many of our classmates who happened to be in attendance 'that night'...will always have a laugh about 1 specific incident about Ruth.

'She ran over herself with her own car'.

Not that that's funny...at least not then...but we've all laughed about it since then...including Ruth.

Here's the story, as I remember it 38+ years later...and why I recall it...and why it will always have special meaning to Cindy and I.

Around New Years Day (give or take a day)...there was a big party at Byron (Haf) Haflich's house. Tons of people attended (excluding Haf's parents of course). Part of the reason for the party was to celebrate my birthday...but we usually didn't need ANY EXCUSE to have a party. (I was given a present of a new '8-track' tape player. My old one had been stolen...and I think Mark Morgan got a good deal at Schmidt Auto and several people threw some money in a pot to help him pay for it.) Also that night, some euchre playing broke out and Cindy happened to be playing at one table...and she didn't know how to play. I 'did' know how to play...and I smartly sat down beside her to help her play...also to make a 'move' on her...and thus began...the story of Dan & Cindy.

Anyway...the next weekend...the party moved to Lucy McGiffen's house...and I believe our 'excuse' that night was that it was Haf's birthday. Tons again were present...including Ruth. Again I found a good excuse to help Cindy with some euchre playing. It was late into the night and Jim Miller came running into the house to announce that 'Ruth ran over herself'. Everyone headed outside...and it was foggy as I remember. We found Ruth on the ground by her car...and thankfully she was okay...in good spirits...and (as I remember) even able to laugh about it. Her explanation (as I recall) was that she was backing her car out (of a crowded yard FULL of cars) and with the fog, she couldn't see well to back out safely. So...she opened her car door to lean out and look behind her to make sure she wasn't going to hit anyone or anything...and she fell out! The car continued to roll and ran over her leg at about the knee.

I believe we called the ambulance (after hiding all the beer and alcohol that we could) and they took Ruth to the hospital, where she was deemed okay. I don't know why the cops didn't come...but glad they didn't because it wouldn't take a detective to figure out that a yard full of cars...a house full of 17 and 18 year old kids...with NO adults in attendance...was NOT a Tupperware party!

Once the excitement was over...and the party wound down...I got brave and asked Cindy if she wanted to go on a date the next weekend. She said yes. Our first date was January 15, 1972. She's been with me ever since.

But back to Ruth...over the years...and at class reunions we attended...I'm certain that Ruth heard, on 'more than one occasion'...about the time she ran over herself.

Ruth was one who could make people laugh...at others...at themselves...and at herself. She was quite a person.

Cindy & I will always remember...and giggle...about that night...and Ruth.

Our class will remember...and miss...Ruth.


Dan